Improvement in fire-escapes



` W. B. GAROUTTE.

Fire-Escape.

tenied Feb. 19,1878.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.'

,WILLIAM B. GAROUTTE, 0F GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN FgIRE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,387, dated February 19, 1878 application filed May 1, 1877.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. GAROUTTE, ofthe county of Greene and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful apparatus for the purposeof facilitating the escape of persons from burning buildings, and lowering persons and things from lofty positions.

My invention consists of a peculiarly-constructed friction-pulley, with a rope or belt, loop, noose, and double-pointed hook, a-ll constructed, arranged, and operated as set forth in the following specification and annexed drawings, referred to by letters and figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my apparatus ready for operation. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the brake-pulley without the crossplate.

B is a pulley, made of metal, wood, or other solid substance, having three or more vertical brakes, with semicircular grooves 1 2 3, a cross-plate, 4, covering said brakes 2 and 3, and cast or otherwise secured thereon, to coniine the rope C, hereinafter referred to, andan eye, 5, wherein to secure the rope D, hereinafter mentioned.

As the grooved brakes -are used to cause friction to check the speed of the pulley in passing down the rope, and the amount `of friction desired depends somewhat upon thel size ofthe rope used and the weight suspended, I make the grooves deep or shallow, according to the amount of friction desired, and increase the number of brakes when I'wish to further increase the friction, as shown in block E, Fig. 2.

.C is a rope, attached at the upper end to a windowframe or other projection or crevice` by a double-pointed hook, 6, so constructed as to be easily withdrawn from the wood or other substance in which it`may be embedded, when-used, by making one point act as a fulcrum to draw the other out, and passing downward between the grooved brakes 2 and 3, around the grooved brake 1, thence back between brakes 1 and 2, and thence to the ground.

D is a rope or strap, on which aloop is formed to pass around the body, the strap or rope being secured to the eye 5. y

When I wish to descend from a building I secure the hook 6, with the rope C attached, to

any suitable projection or crevice, and let the y other end of the rope descend toward 'the ground. I then adjust the rope D, having the loop d in its end, around my body by passing the pulley B through the loop d, thus forming a noose. I then double the rope C at a convenient place in the form of a loop, pass the loop through between the brakes 2 and 3, under the cross-plate '4, and adjust it around brake 1, as shown in the drawing. I then seize in one or both hands the rope G, at or about 7, and,

holding it firmly, swing myself into the air, and, allowing the ropeto slip gently through.

my hands as my weight draws the rope through the pulley, descend to the ground.

By pulling upon the rope I can regulate the velocity of my descent, or check it abruptly at any point Where I wish to stop.

If the person who desires to descend is too feethis latter case'the rope must be twice as long.

as in the former.

Afterone person has descended, the rope and pulley may be drawn up and the operation repeated indefinitely; or, if the rope is sufficiently strong, two persons may descend at the same time, one being secured to the other.

This apparatus may also be used for lowering baggage or other property.

If I wish to detach the rope after descending, I give it a sudden jerk, so\as to cause a spiral motion, and thus draw out the points of the hook by causing one point to act as a f nlcrum to raise the other, and vice versa.

I claim'as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A re'escape consisting of a single disk, having grooved projections on one sideyas shown, and a rope, (l, whereby the said ro'pe may be instantly rove upon the pulley, subl stantially as specified.

WM. B. GAROUTTE.

Witnesses E. W. GOEE, C. C. LOGAN. 

